Six Years
by MalikaAssassin
Summary: It's been six long years since he 'died'. *There are other characters other than the ones listed. List of other characters: Haruto Sawamura, Yuta Usami, Kazuma Kiryu, Makoto Date, mentions of Shigeru Nakahara, Saki, and Sohei Dojima, Yayoi Dojima, and Mama-san of New Serena.*


Daigo sighed as he walked the all too familiar streets of Kamurocho, a cigarette hanging between his lips as he made his way to New Serena. It had become a routine of sorts to go to the bar for a get together with the group of people he now considered family. His mother had went there thirty-five minutes before him, wanting to understand what had become of the legend that her very son considered to be his true father. Daigo knew that his mother had gone more for information gathering than anything else, hoping that she learned how much of a great man that Kiryu had become.

As the forty-six-year-old stopped in front of the bar door, he heard Haruto's tiny voice laughing through the door. A chuckle left his throat as he put out his cigarette, a slight smile on his face as he opened the door. The used cigarette between his fingers, wanting to throw it away properly per the Mama's instructions.

Inside, his eyes scanned the bar. He saw the familiar faces of people he met either through Kiryu or met through the varying situations that he, himself, had gotten himself into. Haruka sat beside her husband, Yuuta, at one of the tables. Across from them sat Akiyama with a laughing Haruto, the child having decided that he loved the moneylender. At the bar sat Detective Date, the man that had been there from the beginning with Kiryu. It had all started with him and Kiryu back in the day, starting with Kiryu's arrest.

Beside him sat Majima and Saejima, both playing a quiet game of cards. Daigo had wondered if the two had left for here on his way over from Tojo Headquarters, thankful that they didn't want to miss this event for anything in the world. Daigo's eyes meets the eyes of his mother, who stood behind the bar with the Mama. Her eyes told him that she finally received her answers to the decades old questions she held within herself. As soon as Daigo had the door closed behind him, the quiet atmosphere became somber and a touch more sad. He had heard from Shigeru Nakahara's daughter that her father couldn't make due to his health taking a turn for the worst.

Daigo had met him briefly one time, having sworn the older man to his father. He could still remember Nakahara's surprised reaction to Kiryu being called 'Fourth Chairman', chuckling as he left Asagao. He knew that he would need to say something soon, though. Daigo had felt off since leaving his apartment that morning, finding himself still hurting after two years of Kiryu being gone.

"Ah, Daigo," said Date, breaking Daigo from his thoughts. "Finally made it, have you?"

"Yeah," answered Daigo with a slight nod. "Haruka, Nakahara isn't able to make it. His daughter told me that his health has taken a turn for the worst."

"I figured as much when she sent me and Yuuta a photo of him." stated Haruka.

"Who?" inquired Akiyama.

"A close friend of father's," answered Daigo. "Met him once back when the base and resort idea was floating around. A bit rough, but trustworthy."

Haruka gave a quiet laugh at the memory of her brother's abrupt appearance at the orphanage, quickly followed by Nakahara's shocked response. Daigo smiled over at his sister, thankful that he wasn't the only one to have that memory locked away at the back of his mind.

"Gotta admit, Kiryu-chan was somethin' else," said Majima as he watched Daigo and Haruka grin at each other. "Always goin' outta his way ta help someone else despite his own problems goin' on."

"Dad was a special breed," commented Haruka. "Always doing things he felt was right, even if they weren't the right answer."

As Daigo stepped towards Haruka's table, Haruto's attention went from Akiyama to the young chairman.

"Uncle!" said the six-year-old excitedly.

He didn't see Daigo as often as Date and Akiyama, who made a few visits during the few times that they wanted to physically be there, wanting to do their own wellness checks. The boy quickly left Akiyama's side as Daigo stopped short about two feet. The sixth chairman had knelt down to take the child into his arms, not minding the title he earned from him.

"You've gotten so big, Haruto." stated Daigo.

"He started school not too long ago." said Yuuta.

"How's that going for you?" inquired Daigo to Haruto's father.

"It was hard for him, myself, and the others at Asagao," admitted Haruka. "I mean, there isn't a manual or guide that comes with parenting and he is our first child."

"It's not easy having a young son," said Yayoi. "When Daigo was Haruto's age, he was in EVERYTHING."

"Mom." came the embarrassed and terrified response.

A chorus of chuckles fill the room as Daigo sat down between Yuuta and Akiyama, his nephew on his lap. Silence once again takes over as each remembers why they gathered that day. His photo sat on the bar, next to Date.

"He was an amazing man despite how stubborn he was." commented Date.

"He was certainly somethin'." added Saejima.

"Kiryu-chan was an amazin' fighter," chuckled Majima, holding back his maniacal laughter in fear of scaring Haruto. "Made our city so much more interestin' whenever he returned, too."

"Respectable, caring, trusting, and loving, too," added Haruka quietly.

Yayoi and Mama remained silent, giving each person their moment.

"A very surprising mentor." said Yuuta.

"A good friend and ally." stated Akiyama.

Daigo is quiet for a few moments, Haruto shifting in his arms a bit as he gave what he wanted to say some thought.

"Father may not have known how to execute things at times, but," said Daigo. "But he knew what feelings he wanted to convey and hoped that they were applied properly to those he wanted to convey them to. Father was more than an ally, a friend, and a mentor. He had become more than just a legend. He was someone who could do nearly anything and did everything in his power to give us all hope. In the end, father gave more than just hope. He gave us a future that we have to fight for and give it our all."

With that statement, everything seemed to become more like how it should have been if Kiryu had been alive. Everything seemed to roar to life and brighten with renewed vigor. Date grimaced as Kiryu's last proper words to him flashed through his mind, his "death" having hit the papers and news channels among all the casualties of what went down six years prior. He hoped that Akiyama would have drop with asking him where Kiryu really was.

Even if Date knew where he was, there was no way of telling what Akiyama would do with knowing where Kiryu was. As far as the detective knew, Kiryu was laid up at a beach house near the coast far from anyone who could possibly know him or even up in the mountains in his own secluded paradise with no one to bother him. Date brought out his phone and made a quick text, sending it with a heavy and guilty heart. He just prayed that Kiryu wouldn't be too pissed with him over the text.

Kiryu heard his phone go off, the ringtone he set for Date filling the air. He had been staring off into space as he let his mind wander a bit while he sat at the ramen shop he frequented in Sendai. He grabbed his phone and looked at the text his friend sent him. Kiryu was met with an audio text as well as a typed text. He read one text, his lips twitching as he looked at the picture Date gad sent with the typed text. It was of everyone in New Serena, Yayoi being there a huge surprise for him. He saw Daigo holding Haruto while sitting at the same table as Haruka, Yuuta, and Akiyama.

 _'_ _I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I wanted to have you filled in, Kiryu. We all miss you, I hope you know that. -Date'_

The audio text had been something else entirely. It was a few minutes long, filled with everyone's comments or statements about Kiryu. He was both pissed and touched, wishing things didn't go the way they did six years ago. Kiryu typed something into his phone, feeling very loved by all the thoughts and comments despite his anger at Date.

 _ **'Thank you, old friend.'**_


End file.
